Sambucus plant named ‘WALFINB’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Sambucus  named ‘WALFINB’ that is characterized by its compact and short plant habit, its stiff dense branches with short internode lengths and an arching habit, its bright gold foliage that is deeply dissected, its very early flowering prior to leafing out in February and March in the United Kingdom and The Netherlands, its large inflorescences that open from large peony-like inflorescence buds, and its red berries if cross-pollination occurs.

Genus/species: Sambucus racemosa.

Varietal denomination: ‘WALFINB’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sambucus racemosa and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘WALFINB’. ‘WALFINB’ represents a new cultivar of Elderberry, a deciduous shrub grown for landscape use.

The new Sambucus was discovered by the Inventors as a naturally occurring whole plant mutation in Liss, Hampshire, United Kingdom in 2000. It was discovered in a large garden that contained over 100 cultivars and unnamed seedlings of Sambucus and the parentage is therefore unknown.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by semi-ripe stem hardwood cuttings under the direction of the Inventors in Liss, Hampshire, United Kingdom in 2010. Asexual propagation by semi-ripe stem hardwood cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new Sambucus. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘WALFINB’ as a distinct cultivar of Sambucus.

-   -   1. ‘WALFINB’ exhibits a compact and short plant habit.     -   2. ‘WALFINB’ exhibits stiff dense branches with short internode         lengths and an arching habit.     -   3. ‘WALFINB’ exhibits bright gold foliage that is deeply         dissected.     -   4. ‘WALFINB’ exhibits very early flowering prior to leafing out         in February and March in the United Kingdom and The Netherlands.     -   5. ‘WALFINB’ exhibits large inflorescences that open from large         peony-like inflorescence buds.     -   6. ‘WALFINB’ exhibits red berries if cross-pollination occurs.         ‘WALFINB’ can also be compared to the cultivars ‘Sutherland         Gold’ (not patented) and ‘Eva’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,575).         ‘Sutherland Gold’ is similar to ‘WALFINB’ in having golden         foliage but differs from ‘WALFINB’ in being taller in height, in         having less dense branching that are upright rather than         arching, and in having leaves that are less dissected. ‘Eva’ is         similar to ‘WALFINB’ in having deeply dissected foliage but         differs from ‘WALFINB’ most significantly in having dark purple         foliage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the characteristics of the new cultivar of Sambucus. The photographs were taken of a 3 year-old plant as grown in a trial plot in Liss, Hampshire, England.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a view of the plant habit of ‘WALFINB’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the foliage of ‘WALFINB’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the berries of ‘WALFINB’.

The photograph in FIG. 4 provides a close-up view of the inflorescence bud of ‘WALFINB’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Sambucus.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of three year-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in a trial plot in Liss, Hampshire, England. Phenotypic differences may be observed with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Plant type.—Deciduous shrub.         -   Plant habit.—Compact with dense branching with stiff             branching that are arching.         -   Blooming period.—About 3 weeks in late winter in February             and March in the United Kingdom and The Netherlands, exact             blooming period is weather dependent.         -   Height and spread.—An average of 1 m in height and spread in             3 years without pruning.         -   Cold hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zone 5.         -   Drought tolerance.—Moderate tolerance once established in             the landscape.         -   Diseases and pest resistance.—No susceptibility or             resistance to diseases or pests has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, 158D in color.         -   Root development.—Roots initiate in about 2 weeks and fully             root as a young plant in about 6 weeks.         -   Growth rate.—Moderately vigorous.         -   Propagation.—Semi-ripe hardwood stem cuttings. -   Branch description:     -   -   Branch color.—Young stems; 197A and suffused with 79C,             mature stem; 197A, 1 year-old shoots are 200A with             lenticels; 0.5 mm in diameter and 1 mm in length, 197A in             color, oval in shape and raised, bark on older stems; 197C.         -   Branch size.—Up to 1 m in length, up to 7 mm in diameter.         -   Stem shape.—Square.         -   Branch surface.—Glabrous, smooth, slight sheen when young,             mature bark is furrowed.         -   Branch habit.—Primarily densely foliaged basal branches,             branches emerge at a 45° angle to upright and become             arching. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Ovate to elliptic.         -   Leaf division.—Primarily binnate.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite/subopposite.         -   Leaf fragrance.—Foetid, typical of species.         -   Internode length.—Average of 4 cm.         -   Leaf size.—An average of 12 cm in length and 13 cm in width.         -   Leaflet size.—Up to 8 cm in length and 4 cm in width.         -   Leaflet base.—Cuneate.         -   Leaflet apex.—Acuminate.         -   Leaflet venation.—Pinnate, color matches leaf color on upper             and lower surface.         -   Leaflet margin.—Deeply cleft with narrow lobes.         -   Leaflet surface.—Satiny on upper and lower surface.         -   Leaflet color.—Leaf buds; 176A, young foliage upper and             lower surface; 151A and tinged with 176B (more heavily             toward basal half of leaves), mature foliage upper surface;             151A and changing to 144A as it matures and into fall.         -   Petioles and petiolules.—About 2 cm in length, about 2 mm in             width, surface sparsely pubescent, 144A in color and             suffused with 176B on upper surface, petiolules are similar             in petiole characteristics but about 3 mm in length and 2 mm             width.         -   Petiole shape.—Flattened on upper surface and rounded on             lower surface. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Flat polychasium with umbel-like cymes.         -   Inflorescence size.—About 15 cm in diameter and 3 cm in             depth.         -   Flower fragrance.—Musty muscatel.         -   Flower lastingness.—2 to 3 weeks.         -   Inflorescence bud size.—An average of 6 cm in height and 4             cm in width, ovate in shape, flower portion 63D in color,             sepal portion 144D in color and suffused with 63D.         -   Flower bud description.—Globose in shape, an average of 2 mm             in diameter and height, 63D in color.         -   Flower quantity.—About 200 flowers per inflorescence.         -   Flower size.—About 6 to 7 mm in diameter and 0.3 mm in             depth.         -   Flower type.—Rotate.         -   Petals.—5, broadly ovate in shape, margin is entire, rounded             apex, rounded base, upper and lower surface is glabrous,             about 2 mm in length and width, upper and lower surface             NN155B in color.         -   Sepals.—5, triangular in shape, entire margin, acute apex,             rounded base, about 1 mm in length and 0.5 mm width,             glabrous on upper and lower surface, color 177B.         -   Peduncles.—Rounded with flattened upper side in shape, about             4 cm in length and 3 mm in diameter, glabrous surface, 144A             in color with sun exposed side overlaid with 176B.         -   Pedicels.—Rounded with flattened upper side in shape, about             4 mm in length and 0.5 mm in diameter, glabrous surface,             194D in color. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—1, style is distinguishable, stigma is <1 mm in             diameter, flattened and sessile to ovary, and 155B in color             and faintly tinged with 185D, ovary is ovoid in shape,             superior, 1 mm in width and height, and 155C in color and             faintly tinged with 186D.         -   Androecium.—5, anthers 1 mm in length and 185D in color,             filaments 1.5 mm in length and 155B in color, pollen is             abundant and 13C in color.         -   Fruit and seed.—Fruit; present if cross pollination occurs             in June and July in the United Kingdom, an average of 85 per             cluster, globose in shape, 34A in color when fully ripe,             about 6 mm in diameter, flesh 145B in color, seed;             approximately 3, 1 mm in diameter and 3 to 4 mm in length,             between 164A and 164C in color. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Sambucus plant named ‘WALFINB’ substantially as herein illustrated and described. 